Water Resources

Abstract

Water is one of the components essential for the existence of life on Earth. In spite of its wide distribution, water is distributed unequally in terms of time and space, making it a scarce resource in some parts of the world. Water is required in agriculture, industrial, and domestic sectors, making it one of the most exploited and widely used resources. Of all the uses, agriculture accounts for almost 70% of the global water requirements. Increasing population and unequal distribution and utilization trends have put an additional demand on water resources. Apart from that, several factors like urbanization, climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices have impacted water resources globally. These factors have escalated the consumption of groundwater and surface water resources, leading to water crises across different parts of the world. Climate change and the resulting increase in temperature indirectly affect the water cycle in terms of its amount, duration, and seasons, the soil moisture content, and the incidence of droughts or floods. This in turn widens the gap between the demand and supply of water resulting in disputes over water use – a momentous social aftershock in an already stressed environment! Hence, there is a requirement for a review of the prospective distribution of resources of water based on spatial and temporal scales. It is the need of the hour to ensure that there are improvements in the water treatment technologies, adoption of practices for sustainable management of water resources, and awareness regarding water conservation to have a water secure future.